§ MR. DAVID THOMAS (Merthyr Tydvil)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury if, in view of the strong feeling existing in Wales that Welsh-speaking witnesses should be permitted to give evidence in their native courts of law, he will give facilities for the discussion on an early day of the resolution standing in the Order Book in reference to the action of Mr. Justice Ridley at the Beaumaris Assizes on 8th June last?
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR, Manchester, E.)There is no desire unduly to restrain the use of time Welsh language in the courts of law. I am informed that what happened on the occasion referred to in the Question was that a dispute arose between the interpreter and the counsel as to what a certain witness had said in Welsh, whereupon the witness himself proposed in English to explain. [Laughter.] I do not know that under those circumstances it is necessary to have a full-dress discussion on the subject.